Chapter 11
Biochar for the Improvement of Peatland
and Suboptimal Land
Eni Maftuah, Anna Hairani, Ani Susilawati, Hendri Sosiawan,
Dedi Nursyamsi, and Mitsuru Osaki
Abstract AeroHydro Culture mainly focuses on peatland restoration. However, as
key technology of AeroHydro Culture is a method applying nutrient materials from
“Land Surface,” AeroHydro Culture technology can apply to suboptimal land.
Applying materials from “Land Surface” are composed of nutrients, organic matters,
microorganisms, and porous materials such as biochar and zeolite. Biochar is one of
the key materials in AeroHydro Culture technology because of its excellent functions on high water and nutrient holding capacity, matrix for microorganisms, and
carbon sequestration. Suboptimal land including peat/wet land has enormous potential to be developed as a productive agricultural area. But its land quality is generally
poor, so that it requires an improvement by applying soil amendment. Continuous
application of soil amendment and inorganic fertilizer can cause soil organic C
degradation, soil compaction, soil structure damage, and degraded productivity of
the suboptimal land. Biochar can be used on suboptimal land as an eco-friendly soil
amendment. Biochar plays a role in improving suboptimal land including the
physical, chemical, and biological properties of the soil. The effectivity of biochar
in soil improvement depends on the biochar feedstock, its making process, the
dosage, the application methods, the particle sizes, and the soil types. Improving
the quality of suboptimal land affects the productivity of rice, maize, soybean, and
also trees. Applying biochar is proven to increase the food crop and tree yields.
Biochar can improve land productivity, sequestrate soil carbon, and mitigate greenhouse gas (GHG) emission. Conserving carbon in mineral soil and suboptimal land
such as peat/wetland has great impact not only on the improvement of soil qualities,
but also on GHG emission mitigation.
E. Maftuah (*) · A. Hairani · A. Susilawati · H. Sosiawan
Indonesian Swampland Agriculture Research Institute, Banjarbaru, South Kalimantan,
Indonesia
D. Nursyamsi
Indonesian Agency for Agricultural Extension and Human Resource Development, Jakarta,
Indonesia
M. Osaki
Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021
M. Osaki et al. (eds.), Tropical Peatland Eco-management,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-33-4654-3_11
337
Biochar for the Improvement of Peatland
and Suboptimal Land
Eni Maftuah, Anna Hairani, Ani Susilawati, Hendri Sosiawan,
Dedi Nursyamsi, and Mitsuru Osaki
Abstract AeroHydro Culture mainly focuses on peatland restoration. However, as
key technology of AeroHydro Culture is a method applying nutrient materials from
“Land Surface,” AeroHydro Culture technology can apply to suboptimal land.
Applying materials from “Land Surface” are composed of nutrients, organic matters,
microorganisms, and porous materials such as biochar and zeolite. Biochar is one of
the key materials in AeroHydro Culture technology because of its excellent functions on high water and nutrient holding capacity, matrix for microorganisms, and
carbon sequestration. Suboptimal land including peat/wet land has enormous potential to be developed as a productive agricultural area. But its land quality is generally
poor, so that it requires an improvement by applying soil amendment. Continuous
application of soil amendment and inorganic fertilizer can cause soil organic C
degradation, soil compaction, soil structure damage, and degraded productivity of
the suboptimal land. Biochar can be used on suboptimal land as an eco-friendly soil
amendment. Biochar plays a role in improving suboptimal land including the
physical, chemical, and biological properties of the soil. The effectivity of biochar
in soil improvement depends on the biochar feedstock, its making process, the
dosage, the application methods, the particle sizes, and the soil types. Improving
the quality of suboptimal land affects the productivity of rice, maize, soybean, and
also trees. Applying biochar is proven to increase the food crop and tree yields.
Biochar can improve land productivity, sequestrate soil carbon, and mitigate greenhouse gas (GHG) emission. Conserving carbon in mineral soil and suboptimal land
such as peat/wetland has great impact not only on the improvement of soil qualities,
but also on GHG emission mitigation.
E. Maftuah (*) · A. Hairani · A. Susilawati · H. Sosiawan
Indonesian Swampland Agriculture Research Institute, Banjarbaru, South Kalimantan,
Indonesia
D. Nursyamsi
Indonesian Agency for Agricultural Extension and Human Resource Development, Jakarta,
Indonesia
M. Osaki
Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021
M. Osaki et al. (eds.), Tropical Peatland Eco-management,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-33-4654-3_11
337